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Former US president Donald Trump is now receptive to the idea of Bitcoin. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he can “live with it, (Bitcoin), in one way or the other,” in a powerful position after initially being critical of the cryptocurrency.
Donald Trump was asked about #bitcoin pic.twitter.com/bLA8TMMy5g
— Pledditor (@Pledditor) February 23, 2024
Trump acknowledged the increasing growth and adoption of Bitcoin (BTC), although he did not hide his admiration for the US dollar. He said:
“Well, a lot of people are doing it. I always liked one currency, I could call it a currency. I liked the dollar. But a lot of people are doing it.”
The former US president described Bitcoin and adoption trends as “something that’s interesting.” He, however, thinks Bitcoin needs “some regulation,” as many people embrace it and want to pay using the cryptocurrency.
The industry needs a clear answer
It is not evident what prompted the ex-US president to change his position on Bitcoin. Chamber of Commerce founder Perianne Boring states that the industry must wait for a clear answer, terming Trump’s reactions as a “roundabout non-answer.”
Trump, who eyes a Republican ticket for the US president, has, in the past, refuted the idea of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. He cited potential uses of crypto in illegal activities.
During his reign as the US president, Trump was also pivotal in blocking the approvals of the spot Bitcoin ETFs and attempted to stop self-hosted wallets. Earlier this year, Trump was also overly critical of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC), saying he would never allow its development if reinstated as the US president.
Meanwhile, Trump’s comments seem to have caused little impact on Bitcoin price, which marginally lost in the intra-day trading. At the time of this publication, the cryptocurrency was exchanging hands at $51,000.
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